Another Top Ready to Quilt

This was a fun quilt to assemble.  It is based on the 1600 design for Jelly Rolls.  A large crib size quilt with a nice solid border of Kona Cotton framed by squares from a charm pack of the same fabric line called Seaglass.  Beautiful greens and blue like sea water.  I have been sketching possible quilting stitches that would work with this layout.  I am almost there.

Up and Coming Quilts

So in between other sewing projects, like the flannel, swaddling blankets, I have several quilt tops that need to be layered, pinned, and quilted so that they can get in the shop.  I am going to share these as tops and then track them through to completion.  So here are the first few that are in the pipeline now.  Sometimes I get the top done and then get stuck picking a backing and a binding which means I can move forward.  Once I get the backing picked, I will proceed because I know will be able to take the quilt to find a binding if it is already quilted where I won't be so excited if it is not layered and quilted.

"Love lives Here" is named after the collection of fabric that makes up these squares.  I am so excited to layer and quilt this particular top because I love the way all the colors came together and I am crazy about the background fabric called "Chocolat".  One of my favorite things that I don't get enough of these days as I am watching my intake of everything.

I will share the backing and binding once it is finished.  This is such a rich collection of colors.  There will be more quilts in the future with this fabric collection.

Royal Baby Quilt

Next item for sale in the store this week, is a small baby quilt fit for a King or Queen, entitled Royal Baby.  This quilt measures 37 x 34 just the right size to wrap a baby in love without smothering it.

I created it from a wonderful charm pack of unknown name and backed it with this amazingly rich, Opulence, by  Paula Nadelstern for BENARTEX  loaded with purples and fuchsias mixed with gold.  The binding,  Super Gold by Sotiba Simpafric, takes the cake with bold gold geometric on Magenta background.  I chose to quilt in a light yellow gold thread with a simple block pattern so I would not overwhelm the backing.  The batting is 100% cotton, Warm and Natural.

As always, hop over to the store to see what is available.

The Store is Open.

After all these years of designing, creating, gifting, and enjoying among friends and family, I have finally been able to open an Etsy store, Donura Designs.  I look forward to being able to share my handcrafted items with those who don't have time or inclination to create something but can appreciate a uniquely crafted blanket or tote or anything else I have available.

I hope to be able to share here part of the process that goes into the items I create.  Whether it is the design and construction of a quilt or the yarns that I pick for a particular baby blanket, I hope to entice you to come to the store any time you are looking for a gift or an addition to your own home.   Please feel free to leave me comments with questions or suggestions.

The House of Sun and Fog

I like the change of seasons. Just not every other day. We had the most beautiful Sunday. It was clear and warm and the sun was shining all over the place. We went to the Farmer's Market and it was almost like Summer. The fruits and veggies were a rainbow of magnificent colors. I was overwhelmed by them and could not resist the urge to capture it. The only indications that it was Fall were the trees and the color of the flowers.

And then we start the week and we have fog, drizzle and cold like Fall rolling into Winter. The only good thing about it is that I can stay inside and play with my yarn projects. I finished the purple Ribbed Lace Bolero and started another one in Pale Green Tesoro 100% wool. It is so soft, I love the feel on my hands.

I have also been trying to get a few more gifts for the bath sets that I am doing for several friends for Christmas. These little "Tribbles" are addicting.

Ravelry Withdrawal

Is there such a thing? I am not sure but I think that is what I felt the other morning when I went through my ritual of online reading and tending to my different sites. All of a sudden this cute little mug flashed upon the screen. This isn't the home page. It was a mug shot of "Bob" telling me he was in the server. I had to laugh at first but then I realized I would not be able to post my new project. And I would not be able to read the forums and I would not be able to look for any more patterns. So I went away quietly and took care of my other business and knitted for awhile. Luckily when I came back in the afternoon the home page was there, so I really don't know if there is such a thing as "Ravelry Withdrawal" and I don't want to find out if there is.

I did make wonderful progress on a new project the Ribbed Lace Bolero. I am doing it in Plymouth Encore Worsted in a very nice deep purple. It is a gift and I am thrilled that it is going as fast as it is because maybe I can do a few before the holidays. I am down to the last sleeve on the blue mohair shrug.

Ravelry Help

I am continually amazed each day that I use Ravelry. It is such a "closely knit" :>) community of people from everywhere that come together because of their joy spelled "obsession" with knitting and crocheting. All the areas continue to grow with the posted wealth of knowledge and sharing. I posted a request for some suggestions for gifts for my 4 girls for their upcoming birthdays and Christmas and within 7 hours I had more than 30 items to pick from. Many were items recommended by girls the same age as mine. What more could you ask for? I now have several more items in my queue and I'm excited about some of the items because they are not only quick but cute. I have started the Cropped Cardigan with leaf ties from Knitty Spring 2007 in a beautiful royal blue mohair that I had left over from another sweater I made several years ago. That is another big plus to most of these projects. They use very little yarn and there are lots of substitution possibilities. I may get through all my gift projects after all.


I have also been reading with great interest the thread about the new Holiday VK issue. Wow. Not much in the way of grey area in that discussion. I can't wait to get to the bookstore to take a look at all the "love it/hate it" items.

I was listening to a older Cast On podcast last night, Woolly Wonders and the monologue by Franklin Habit, so moved me that I wanted to copy it and put it on CD to enclose with the gifts I give the year. It was so touching and such an important message about the ones that came before us.

Ann of Green Gables came to the end yesterday afternoon. I immediately felt like a friend had left so I started Anne of Avonlea. I have to say that the reading by Annie Coleman has spoiled me to anyone else. I guess she is just going to have to read all of them for the KAL-RAL along. Annie, do you hear me?